The wait is finally over! Fall is here, and with it, college football season kicks off. Ohio State sits as the +550 favorite to hoist the 2026 College Football Playoff Championship trophy, according to FanDuel Sportsbook odds released on August 31. This comes after a Big Ten team has claimed the last three national titles in a row: Michigan in 2023, Ohio State in 2024, and Indiana pulling off a massive shocker in 2025. So, can the Big Ten make it four straight, or is it finally time for a new conference to step up and dominate?
The Buckeyes Are On Top, But Don’t Forget the Irish
The Buckeyes, fresh off their 2024 national championship, are once again looking like the team to beat. They’ve been CFP regulars, hitting the Playoff in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025. Quarterback Julian Sayin is back after throwing for an insane 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns as a freshman. And get this: he’s still got one of the best receivers in the game, Jeremiah Smith, who put up 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, following a 1,315-yard, 15-touchdown monster year the season before. Smith leads a loaded receiving corps with five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. and veteran Brandon Inniss. That’s a lineup designed to win big!
Right behind them are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at +650. They haven’t won a national championship since 1988, but don’t sleep on them. They were the last team out of the Playoff in 2025, and you know they’re coming into this season with a serious chip on their shoulder. With a stacked roster and preseason Heisman favorite CJ Carr under center, the Irish are absolutely ready to make some noise.
Challengers Ready To Strike: Texas, Oregon, and Miami
While the top two get all the hype, there are some serious contenders lurking. Miami sits at +1200, and remember, they came oh-so-close to ruining Indiana’s perfect season last year, just falling short in the title game. Can they take that next step?
Then you’ve got Texas at +800 and Oregon at +750, both looking dangerous. Texas’s Arch Manning opened last season as the favorite, but things got bumpy early, losing two of their first five. But Manning finished 2025 on a high note, ranking seventh in the country in touchdown passes (12) and tenth in passing yards (1,493) from Week 9 on, leading the SEC in both categories. He’s back, and the Longhorns are expecting big things. Over in Oregon, Dante Moore is returning after completing a sizzling 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. The talent is there for a deep run.
Week 1 kicks off soon, with Ohio State hosting Ball State and Notre Dame battling Wisconsin at historic Lambeau Field. With the Big Ten riding a three-year championship streak, the stage is absolutely set for an epic college football season. Can the Buckeyes live up to the hype, or will a new champion emerge from the pack? We’re about to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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